BIRMINGHAM could be in danger of “throwing out the balti with the bath water” as the city becomes inundated with fine dining restaurants and tries to curry favour with top-notch foodies.

BIRMINGHAM could be in danger of “throwing out the balti with the bath water” as the city becomes inundated with fine dining restaurants and tries to curry favour with top-notch foodies.

Research by students from the University of Birmingham revealed that only 50 per cent of 600 shoppers interviewed in the city centre had heard of the legendary Balti Triangle – and most didn’t know the difference between Brum’s signature dish and a normal run-of-the-mill curry.Andy Munro, who commissioned the survey and runs website www.balti-birmingham.co.uk, claimed the city was in danger of concentrating too hard on its drive to establish itself as a fine dining destination.

“Birmingham is in danger of throwing the balti out with the bath water. The balti is its signature dish and this should not be forgotten.

“When baltis became a big thing, everyone jumped on the balti bandwagon. A true balti is a genuine Birmingham creation. It is not a Bangladeshi curry house thing.

“A little bit of snobbery has crept into the city’s food scene and it is important that Birmingham does not lose sight of its food traditions,” said Mr Munro.

The research also highlighted concerns over the “tattiness” of the balti belt area, inadequate signage and non-existent street branding.

“There appears to have been a few tricks missed from a marketing perspective,” said Mr Munro.

“It has to be a concern that so many people haven’t heard of the Balti Triangle and that many of those that have don’t even know what Birmingham’s famous dish really is,” he added.

The traditional Balti Triangle is bounded by Moseley Road and Stratford Road, with Ladypool Road running through the middle.

The dish emerged in the south east of Birmingham in 1975 and was a product of the city’s entrepreneurial Pakistani Kashmiri community.

“Gordon Ramsay said his favourite dish was chicken tikka masala. But I would love to take him for a balti to show him the best of Asian-British food,” said the balti guru.